Island getaways getaways

Fall Home Design

This kitchen helpmate has been around for a long time, but today it's usually bigger and better-designed.

October 1, 2006|By Carrie Alexander, Special to the Sentinel

Today's kitchen islands are anything but ordinary. They're larger, more functional and better organized than when they first became popular 30 years ago.

In many homes, they have become spacious command centers with organized compartments for everything from cell phones to your kids' backpacks.

In fact, there's no limit to the possible functions of this free-standing storage unit, which explains why it has become one of the most requested items in a kitchen, says Rick Caccavello, owner of Central Kitchen & Bath in Winter Park.

Roomy islands offer the family cook more counter space, of course, but they can serve many other modern functions as well. Pull up a comfortable stool and suddenly the island becomes a work area for kids who need to finish homework, a craft area for the family scrapbooking enthusiast, and a convenient spot for parents to pay bills.

"I tell people they can organize the island like they do other parts of the house," says professional organizer Christy Diaz, owner of Organized Lifestyle in Orlando.

Bigger and better

The island has taken the place of the kitchen table in many homes, but it's much more efficient -- and one very large unit.

"Islands used to be 2 feet deep and 36 or 48 inches width on average," Caccavello says. "Now, people are just going crazy with these islands. You think they can`t get any larger but then they do."

But there is a limit -- or should be -- to just how large the island gets, Caccavello says. Think of it this way: If you stretch your arm across from either side and can't reach the middle, you need to scale back. Otherwise you're creating nonfunctional space.

Not only are islands substantially larger today, they also are packed with the latest in kitchen tools. Homeowners are installing prep sinks, dishwashers, microwaves, warming drawers and wine coolers. They're carving out storage for small appliances, cookbooks and briefcases. They're adding cubbies for newspapers, homework and crafts projects.

"Whatever you can dream up, whatever you need space for, you can pretty much get it today," Caccavello says. "You can put a refrigerator drawer in the island for kids' sodas and snacks, and a microwave. Children can use it or the elderly if they have arthritis and can't reach up."

Even Fido isn't overlooked. Homeowners are adding cubbies for dog food, and drawers that open to reveal food bowls.

Each year, Caccavello says, islands seem to fulfill more culinary needs, but that doesn't mean aesthetics are being ignored.

"The island has become one of the major focal points of the kitchen," Caccavello says. "People wanted it to blend in before. Now it's a focal point, a piece of art."

To make it stand out, homeowners are choosing a different color and door style than what they select for their wall cabinets. They're adding zing with countertops made of exotic wood, concrete or stainless steel. Also, Caccavello says, "We're dressing up the island to make it look like a piece of free-standing furniture giving it legs and a furniture base."

Typically, kitchens today are open to the family room, and often the island is what separates the two. To visually separate without losing that great room feel, Caccavello says, "You can add columns just to show that there's a dividing point. You can have multilevels to hide the clutter."